Our Teddy
by Moonythoughts
Summary: Harry Potter takes up his responsibilities as a godfather. Complete.
1. The Aftermath

Our Teddy

Chapter One: Aftermath

Harry Potter sighed and got to his feet. It had been such a long night… Sleep would be welcomed at a time like this. He had been offered a bed by several students, and had been tempted to accept, but despite his exhaustion, there was a fervent restlessness about him that prevented him from taking even a short break. Who was he to sleep, he thought, while others were still downstairs mourning the dead?

"Harry," said Ron, when Harry expressed these feelings, "you kind of just defeated Voldemort. I think you're allowed to sleep now."

The laugh that fell from Harry's lips was hollow; he wanted to agree, but there were some images that wouldn't dissipate from his mind's eye… So many lives had been claimed tonight, and the sight of those bodies lying in the Great Hall were enough to make him physically ill.

He wanted to cry for them, all of them, but was too exhausted. He wanted to do something to make their deaths seem more meaningful, more justified, but his mind was too clouded to come up with a fitting tribute. His head ached.

Minerva McGonagall had told him to get some rest. Maybe she was right…

But then Harry heard something, something that made his heart sick. As he wandered the corridors with Ron, looking for something useful to do, a few choice words caught his attention: "…did you see Professor Lupin? I heard he got attacked by Greyback, but I didn't see any bad wounds…"

It struck Harry that he had not bothered to find out how Remus and Tonks had died. He could have asked Remus himself, if he hadn't been so preoccupied with his own impending death… Had Greyback really finished the job he had started when he first bit Remus all those years ago?

He had to find out.

He searched, frantically, for anyone who might have witnessed their deaths. Remus and Tonks, the new parents of Teddy Lupin… Teddy deserved to know how his parents had died, didn't he? But who could Harry ask about it?

He returned to the Great Hall, despite his hesitation to see the rows of dead bodies lying so unnaturally still beneath the enchanted ceiling, which was beginning to glow with pre-dawn streaks of pink. Harry looked over to where Lupin and Tonks still lay, side by side, as it should be. There were a few people standing in front of them, including professor Flitwick and, Harry was dismayed to see, Andromeda Tonks.

She looked horrible, with lines of slow-falling tears framing her still-pretty face. Her eyes were pink and puffy, and she could not seem to take her eyes off the body of her daughter.

Harry felt dreadfully guilty, seeing her like this.

He approached, and realized that professor Flitwick was talking to her.

"You'd have been so proud of her," he was saying. "She was so loyal to Remus… and so _brave_… It was tragic to see them go, but at least they died valiantly, as we would all expect."

Andromeda seemed deaf to Flitwick's words. She continued to stare, blankly, at her daughter.

But Harry was interested in what Flitwick had to say. He moved forward, unnoticed, and halted in front of Flitwick, who took one look at Harry and beamed.

"Oh, Mr. Potter," he said. "I don't believe I've had the honor of congratulating you yet."

"Thanks, professor," said Harry hastily. "Please, I just wanted to know… did you see what happened to Remus and Tonks?" Harry avoided looking at their bodies as he spoke their names.

Flitwick's face fell and he cast a sad glance at Andromeda, who was still pale and unmoving beside them. "Yes, I saw the whole thing…" he said quietly. "Remus was fighting, and managed to temporarily knock out Dolohov before Tonks arrived. Of course, I had my own battles to attend to, but I saw Fenrir Greyback attack Remus just as Tonks appeared." Flitwick took a breath to steady his voice. "It was a quick scuffle, then Greyback fled, leaving Remus lying on the ground, crushed and bleeding. Everyone continued to battle around them, and Tonks tried to clean him up, but of course it was too late…" Flitwick's voice broke. "Remus was… obviously in pain. Tonks held him, trying to comfort him. I didn't see much after Remus finally died, I'm afraid, but I know that Tonks tried to avenge him and was hit by a Killing Curse by Bellatrix Lestrange before she could reach Greyback... And that's all I know."

Harry nodded, but inside he felt numb. Andromeda had turned to listen and was watching him intently, her face still shining with tears. Harry let out a breath, then turned to face her.

"I think it's time I met my godson," he said.

"I quite agree," she replied softly.

-----------

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, my version of Remus and Tonks' deaths was a little off from what JKR said happened, but I did write this before that chat transcript came out, and anyway, I believe my was slightly more fitting - for me, anyway. I guess we'll have to accept that this is slightly AU. I'd still like to thank everyone who has reviewed. Lol, really, I love you guys.


	2. Something in Common

_Chapter Two: Something in Common_

Andromeda suggested Harry try to get few hours' sleep before coming back to her house. Harry agreed, for now that he had something to look forward to, sleep was no longer elusive. He found Ron asleep in a chair in the Gryffindor common room; Hermione seemed to have found somewhere else to sleep.

Harry sat down near Ron, and allowed himself to really _relax_. He hadn't felt at ease in days – weeks, even – but now the satisfaction of Voldemort's defeat was washing over him like warm water, and Harry reveled in the relief of it all. Sleep came quickly, and in moments, Harry was dead to the world.

Ron shook him awake four hours later, and Harry looked around to see that several people had evidently been watching him sleep. It was jarring to see so many of them, after so many months of minimal human contact. Even though it still annoyed him when people ogled him, he couldn't fault them today. Today was different.

"Harry," said Ron. "Andromeda Tonks was looking for you. She said something about going to her house…"

"Yeah," muttered Harry. "I know... How are you doing?"

Ron shrugged.

"My mum's not handling – I mean, I keep thinking Fred and George are going to, I dunno, show up and make everyone feel better, but…" He trailed off and looked away, and Harry nodded in understanding.

"I know," he said quietly. "I miss Fred too."

Ron was blinking hard and avoiding Harry's gaze. He coughed twice, heaved a sigh, and straightened up. "Yeah," he said. "Well… You should go find Andromeda."

"Right."

They made their way downstairs. People everywhere stopped to congratulate Harry and thank him for saving them all. It was an odd experience, receiving everyone's undivided gratitude. Harry didn't quite know what to say to everyone, so he spoke as little as possible.

"They're in McGonagall's office," said Ron as they reached the first floor.

Andromeda didn't look much better than she had the previous night, but Harry could hardly blame her. She seemed a little blank, as if she wasn't quite sure what she was doing. Harry thought he could relate to that numb feeling you get after losing a loved one. Everything was so surreal, so insubstantial…

"Mrs. Tonks?" said Harry as he stepped into the office. She looked around; a ghost of a smile flittered about her saddened features as she saw who he was.

"Hello, Harry," she said, her voice emotionless. "Shall we go now?"

"Er…" Harry cast a sidelong glance at Ron, who shook his head, conveying to Harry that he was fine with staying behind. "Yeah," said Harry. "Let's go."

As they made to leave the castle through the double doors in the entrance hall, Harry caught sight of Ginny talking to one of her sixth-year friends. She saw him, and gave a weak smile, then turned back to her friends. Harry wished he could be with her now, but wasn't about to abandon Andromeda now.

So they made their way into Hogsmeade, where they could Apparate to Andromeda's house without being impeded by Hogwarts' protective spells. It was a quiet walk, and Harry noticed her giving a shuddering sigh every now and then.

They reached Hogsmeade, and Andromeda told Harry where to Apparate to. For good measure she placed a hand on his shoulder, so as to guide him should he go off course.

When they arrived in the front hall of the Tonks' house, the first thing Harry noticed was the sound of a baby crying. Andromeda straightened her cloak out, crossed to a door at the end of the hall, and waved Harry forward.

"He's in there," she said in a hushed voice. "Go on in."

Feeling a little unprepared, Harry took a step into the room, which was barely lit. Harry groped for a light switch, and found one near the doorframe. A soft light filled the room, illuminating the whole of what was, unmistakably, a baby nursery.

The crib in the corner was painted a vivid purple, and Harry could see a patched blue blanket inside it. He moved closer, and caught his first sight of Teddy Lupin.

He wasn't crying now; his face was perfectly calm and curious, and he studied Harry with large, intense blue eyes. Harry found himself smiling at the baby, and noticed immediately that Teddy's eyes had changed to the same emerald green as Harry's.

"Hello, Teddy," said Harry. "It's nice to meet you, finally. I'm your godfather, Harry." He leaned up against the crib, staring fondly down at the light-haired child. Teddy gurgled up at him for a few moments, but then seemed to grow bored. His chubby fist found a lump of black plush that was lying by his side, and began mouthing it. Harry looked closer, and realized that the toy was a stuffed dog.

It was Padfoot.

Harry's heart leapt and he immediately felt a surge of affection for little Teddy. Looking around, Harry realized that this toy wasn't the only tribute to the Marauders. On a dresser across the room sat two more plush dolls – one was a wolf, and one was a stag. Harry felt a grin appear on his face at the sight.

"You've got good taste in toys, Teddy," said Harry warmly.

By the sound of the happy little cry that emitted from under the blue blanket, Harry assumed that Teddy agreed with him.

This was an experience unlike any Harry had ever had. Here he was, facing the son of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks – his _godson_ – knowing that this poor little boy would never know how wonderful his parents were.

"You'll be the last, Teddy," said Harry quietly. "You'll be the last one orphaned by this stupid war…" It was a good outlet, talking to Teddy, who was not judging him, but simply gazing up at him, a vacant smile playing around his tiny lips. "We – we've got a lot in common, you know. We both had amazing parents, who gave their lives so that we could be happy…" Harry felt his throat tighten as he spoke. "But you'll be okay, Teddy; we both will.

"Because I'm going to take care of you."

A/N: Anyone who saw that chapter three bit, ignore it. It was an accident! Lol, I'm sorry for it. I rewrote it today, and it should be up tomorrow or Saturday. Argh I feel dumb


	3. Time Begins to Pass

__

Chapter Three: Time Begins to Pass

It took a long time for Teddy to stop missing his mummy and daddy. He cried for Tonks, and he barely morphed at all for two weeks. Though he was only weeks old, it was apparent that Teddy knew that something was missing.

But Harry could only manage brief visits to his godson's house to check on him. He had thought his life would be simple after Voldemort's defeat. He imagined himself going into Auror training at the Ministry of Magic, hanging out with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, and spending free moments playing with Teddy.

But it was complicated.

First, Harry needed a place to live. He considered going to Grimmauld Place and turning it into a normal, habitable home once and for all. He even thought about asking Ginny to come with him, though he doubted her family would like that idea. It was decided early on that Andromeda would care for Teddy indefinitely. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about that; he knew that he was too young and instable to look after a baby now, but what about in a few years? A brief image of himself living with Sirius in a what-might-have-been scenario kept flickering through his mind, instilling that profound sadness in him all over again. He didn't want Teddy to have to go through that.

But Andromeda proved to be an exceptional parent to Teddy. She spent every waking moment with him, soothing him when he cried, talking to him and playing with him when he was in a good mood. Harry knew that Teddy was Andromeda's anchor to the memory of her daughter, and she needed him more than Harry did.

Instead of moving to Grimmauld Place, Harry bought a flat near Ottery St. Catchpole. He was close to the Burrow, and could visit any time he liked. Harry suspected that Mrs. Weasley liked having him so close; she doted upon him, and was always sorry to see him leave. It was obvious that she was still unwell since losing Fred, and Harry tried to be as comforting as possible.

Harry focused on his ambitions to be an Auror a lot. He sent a letter to the Ministry of Magic, and was promptly approved to begin training. Harry suspected that Kingsley Shacklebolt had had a hand in getting Harry approved, but that didn't matter. Becoming an Auror was the only thing to ever grab his interest, and he was looking forward to the challenge. However, Harry's training wouldn't be starting until there was a mentor free to instruct him, and all of the current Aurors were busy cleaning up after the Death Eaters at the moment. Harry was informed that it would be a good five months before he would be starting training with a young Auror named Cyrus Wilson.

Harry was surprised to find that this delay did not annoy him. He seemed to be a lot less hotheaded lately, and one late-night conversation with Ron and Hermione had led Harry to believe that this might be attributed to Voldemort's death.

"I mean," said Hermione earnestly, as they sat in Harry's flat with Teddy (who had only been allowed to leave after Andromeda had spent two hours fussing over him), "you often got angry when Voldemort was angry too, right?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose that's right," said Harry, as he bounced his giggling godson around on his lap.

The baby was already starting to recognize Harry's presence above others, and sometimes copied the vocal sounds Harry made, which Hermione had told him should be encouraged. Hermione had been tickled pink to meet little Teddy, and had already read two books on raising babies (much to Ron's discomfort).

"So…" said Ron, "You feel… happy that Voldemort's dead? What's special about that?"

"Well, Ron, of course he's happy," reasoned Hermione. "But he's trying to say that he's generally much happier because Voldemort isn't around to make him feel angry."

"I still don't get it," said Ron, as Harry passed Teddy to him. Ron's face screwed up comically: "Aww," he cooed at the baby, "Widdle Teddums loves his Uncle Won-Won, doesn't he? Yes, he does…"

Harry saw Hermione cringe; whether it was because Ron was acting like a prize idiot or because he had referred to himself as "Won-Won" was impossibly to say.

Teddy liked Ron, and showed his appreciation for the baby talk. by morphing his hair to a bright yellowish color.

"Ah," said Ron lazily, as Hermione gingerly took Teddy from him, "I love that little midget."

Over the months, Harry settled down into this new lifestyle. He was still the Boy Who Lived, but now there was something more to him than that. He had people whom he loved and who loved him back, and for the first time, it was possible – even probable – that he would be around to spend time with them for years to come.

Teddy grew up fast. As time marched on, Harry spent more and more time with him, and Andromeda had come to enjoy the breaks she got from childrearing ("And I thought Nymphadora was a handful," Harry heard her say more than once).

Harry brought his godson almost everywhere he went. It was fulfilling, spending time with him, and being a family to him in his parents' absence. His new parental responsibilities did not go unnoticed by the Wizarding media, and before long there was a sizeable snapshot of Harry and Teddy in Diagon Alley gracing page two of the Daily Prophet. As it was an amiable article that portrayed them both in a good light, Harry didn't mind the exposure (though he was unused to the positive attention).

During this time, Harry and Ginny became more serious about their relationship. Though any really passionate moments were few and far between because of the separate lives they led, they relished any time spent together, and Harry found himself looking forward to a bright future with her.

But soon Ginny would be returning to Hogwarts for her final year, and Harry would be beginning his Auror training. They would have even less time to spend together.

Plus, Harry did not forget that he also had his godson to think about. He would soon have to make time for everyone. What if someone was left out?

Harry needed to sort out his priorities. And soon.

A/N: Hey, thanks everyone from the bottom of my heart for reviewing. This story's motoring along, and I'm looking forward to writing more.


	4. Auror Training

Chapter Four: Auror Training

Harry's Auror training, when it finally began, got off to a surprisingly good start.

His mentor, Cyrus Wilson, was easy-going, with a good sense of humor and an even better sense of what Aurors-in-training really needed to learn. He was young, probably around twenty years old, and his teaching methods were very practical. Though usually quite straight-thinking, Cyrus had admitted to being eager to meet the famous Harry Potter, but did not let his admiration affect Harry's instruction.

They began with basic spell-casting. Cyrus was exceptionally good at the kind of charms and curses that Aurors frequently used. They breezed through elementary dueling spells, like Expelliarmus; then Harry learned how to perform charms that he had never been taught before, such as charms to alter memory.

"We'll move past this kid's stuff soon enough," Cyrus informed Harry, and it was more of a warning than a reassurance. "Enjoy the easy spells while you can, Potter. You think I'm tough now? You just wait."

Before long, the training moved from utilizing magical expertise to doing exercises that were very physical. There were rooms at the Ministry full of special obstacle courses that Harry needed to clear before moving on, and in the beginning he made some very rudimentary mistakes that delayed his progress considerably.

The first course was filled with conjured effigies of dark wizards, who were hurling hexes at Harry without pause. Five minutes in, Harry found himself flung onto the floor, with a Full Body Bind Curse holding him fast. It wasn't pleasant; the last time he'd been so utterly immobile he had had to watch Dumbledore be killed. The memory made his insides contort.

"You can't rely on Expelliarmus, Harry, not all the time," said Cyrus for what seemed like the tenth time, as he moved forward to release his protégée. "You need to be fierce sometimes, even if you don't want to be. I'm sorry you had to learn that in such a brutal way…"

Harry scowled. He'd heard a speech remarkably similar to this a while ago, from Lupin, and hadn't appreciated it much then either. This time, however, Harry straightened up and voiced his wish to try the course again.

This time, Harry took no prisoners. He did not use Unforgivables here; they had recently been restored to their former status, and could no longer be used by the Wizarding public without extreme consequences. Instead, Harry put all his effort into Stunning, a spell which Cyrus referred to as an Auror's best friend.

"When you're out in the field, you need to make sure your foe is completely incapacitated," Cyrus reiterated at the end of a training session one day. They were sitting in the Auror office, relaxing a bit before it was time to leave. "You can't just expect them to really be knocked out. They might be faking, see. Constant vigilance, that's what I was always taught."

Harry shot a glance at Cyrus. "Mad-Eye Moody used to say that a lot."

"Yeah, he mentored me. I was bloody heartbroken when he died. But you get used to having co-workers die in this line of work. It's no picnic, Harry."

Harry nodded. He had known that.

This conversation reminded Harry of something, though – namely, another young Auror that Moody had mentored. As Cyrus leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, fingers laced behind his head, Harry blurted out – "Did you know Nymphadora Tonks?"

Cyrus seemed so started that he nearly fell over. He straightened up a bit, staring at Harry. He seemed at a complete loss for words. But he ran his fingers through his fair hair, and nodded. There was a true sadness in his eyes that made Harry regret asking the question.

"I did know her. She was a – a good girl, Tonks. I had the honor of working with her a lot before – well, before she left for maternity leave." He looked a little cross then. "D'you know that she went and married some werewolf? I mean, she was my friend, but that's just a little eerie, eh?"

For the first time, Harry felt a surge of dislike toward his mentor, and had to exercise great control to keep from getting too angry.

"That werewolf," said Harry rather coldly, "was my _friend_."

Cyrus looked deeply uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat, but couldn't seem to find a retort. Harry, however, still had plenty to say.

"Not all werewolves are monsters, you know," he went on coolly. "Tonks was a good judge of character, and she loved him more than you'll ever know."

Cyrus finally seemed to find his voice. Harry had a feeling that a heated debate was about to take shape. He didn't care, though. This was one topic about which Harry couldn't help voicing his opinions; he knew that his parents had felt strongly about it, and he owed it to Lupin to stand up for him.

"I could care less about her and that Lupin bloke," said Cyrus. "I just think it was wrong for them to have a kid together –"

"Why?"

"Because what if it had been curse too? I'm sure Lupin wasn't bad, but what if his kid _had_ been? I hear Fenrir Greyback had an okay childhood, and look at him now!"

Harry frowned. He remembered how Lupin had once mentioned that Greyback had been the werewolf to bite him, and thus pass on the curse of the werewolf.

"Yeah," said Cyrus, seeing Harry hesitate. "Yeah, and I hear most of the werewolves from Greyback's line are downright vicious. No offense, but what if little baby Lupin is a freak too?"

Harry's mind flitted to Teddy. He hadn't shown any sign of lycanthropic characteristics; Cyrus' opinions were unfounded, and his ignorance was only too apparent…

But a voice in Harry's head made his head spin. _What if he's just too young to show signs? What if there _was

Surely not…

"I think we need a break, Harry," said Cyrus finally. "Come back on Friday. I'd hate to have to have a different mentor assigned to you, so we'll just see how we're feeling then, all right?"

"Yeah," muttered Harry. "Sorry I snapped. I shouldn't have mentioned Tonks…"

"Right," agreed Cyrus. "Well, you couldn't have known this would be such an argument. Just – just get some rest and be back on Friday."

Harry left the Ministry of Magic in a rotten mood, wanting nothing more than to go back to Andromeda's house and just be with Teddy for as long as possible. He needed to sort his thoughts out somewhere peaceful. Still, there was one thing about which Harry was dreadfully certain…

There was no way Teddy was a werewolf.

No way…

Was there?

A/N: Okay, since today is Friday, I'm making Fridays a regular posting day for this story. That way I can maybe make chapters longer. Thanks again to all who have read, reviewed, faved, and added to alerts. You rock.


	5. Pleasant Distractions

_Chapter Five: Pleasant Distractions_

Harry left the Ministry with the immediate intention of heading directly over to Andromeda's to check on Teddy. As he prepared to Disapparate, however, he was intercepted by none other than Ginny Weasley.

All thought of the day's events were swept out of Harry's brain by the mere sight of her coming toward him. A part of him wanted to rush over and kiss her on the spot, but that seemed a touch too personal given the present environment. He settled by clasping her hand and giving her a swift hug.

"Affectionate today, huh," said Ginny as they broke apart.

"Sorry, but you never know when Daily Prophet reporters are around."

"I guess you're right." Ginny grinned up at him; her bright face brought Harry immediately into a good mood. They had seen little of each other lately, and every moment spent together was appreciated. "I missed you."

"I missed _you._" Harry couldn't help smiling now. They turned together and moved out of the way of the other Ministry of Magic employees. A few people watched them, as Harry had known they would, but for the most part they went unnoticed. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing." She grinned teasingly at Harry, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "You didn't come just to see me, did you?"

Ginny laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're not _that_ special, Harry," she said, but then at the sight of the dejected look on his face, she added, "I'm _kidding_. But seriously, I do have a good reason for coming here."

"Apparition test?" Harry guessed.

"Nope. Different kind of test."

Harry frowned, confused. What other sorts of tests were conducted at the Ministry of Magic at this time of the year? He was drawing a total blank, and was beginning to get annoyed. "So," he said after a moment's silence, "do you plan on telling me at all?"

"Yes."

_Infuriating_, he thought. He had considered Ginny to be above the pointless mind games that women were stereotyped to play, but the current evidence was not in her favor. When she didn't make any move to elaborate, Harry heaved a sigh.

"Come on, Ginny."

"Oh, fine," she said, squeezing his hand. "I guess big tough Aurors can't have a sense of humor."

"You've always known I have no patience," countered Harry.

"True. All right, I'll tell you." She gave him a calculating look, then plunged on. "I've come to try for an Animagus License."

Harry didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected it at all, but now that it was out there, it didn't seem so farfetched. She studied his expression for any sign of skepticism, but evidently none showed, because she seemed to relax. Harry was more curious than anything, and he firmly believed that Ginny was perfectly capable of becoming an Animagus.

"So?" said Ginny. "What do you think?"

"I think it's cool," said Harry. "Where'd you get the idea to do it?"

"From your dad, and Sirius, and Lupin," she said, and her voice was quiet as she spoke the names aloud. "I dunno," she continued, "I just needed something to _do_. I mean, it's not like I'm not busy already, but I thought this would be a good on-going project, you know?"

"Yeah," said Harry, nodding. "Maybe I'll try it too, sometime."

"All right," laughed Ginny. "We should be bunnies together. Or –"

"Definitely _not_ bunnies."

"Fine, Harry, just dash all of my dreams." Despite her apparently cross tone, she was smirking at him. "I doubt I even passed the permit test, though. It was really difficult, I may need to retake it."

Harry suppressed a chuckle. "You need a _permit_?"

"Well, yeah," she said evenly. "The Ministry has to keep track of everyone who attempts to learn. They make you file reports about your progress, and most people don't make it passed the first stage."

"Wow. Sounds tough." Harry sighed.

"Yes, well… we'll see." She looked up at him apologetically. "Listen, Harry, I've got to get back to Hogwarts now – I'll send you an owl soon, and we should try to get together on a Hogsmeade weekend. Sound good?"

"Sure." Harry held her close, not wanting to say goodbye. He knew this was not the place for a public display of affection, but he wouldn't let that stop him from giving his girlfriend a proper kiss. She grinned as their lips touched, but kept the kiss brief for formality's sake.

"I missed that," she said as they broke apart.

Harry found himself nodding, his mind blissfully blank. He gave Ginny one last little hug before she hurried off to one of the many Floo stations in the Atrium. He watched her go, feeling a strong urge to chase after her and accompany her to Hogwarts. But something nagged at him, something he knew was important but which he had forgotten in the excitement of seeing Ginny…

Then it all came flooding back. Teddy. His godson.

He needed to get to Andromeda's house, and soon. He'd already wasted time (a part of him argued that any time spent with Ginny most certainly was _not_ wasted, but that was beside the point right now)… 

Harry Apparated. He concentrated on Andromeda's front porch, because he didn't want to just barge into the house uninvited. He was probably being silly about the whole thing, but the conversation he had had with Cyrus Wilson had made him anxious. The connections that had been made to Fenrir Greyback were just too unsettling.

He knocked on the door, but there was no reply. Annoyed, Harry knocked again. Finally, after about five minutes of knocking, Harry tried the handle and found it unlocked. He opened the door, stuck his head inside, and called, "Andromeda? Teddy?" 

It was most unlike Andromeda to ignore a visitor, especially Harry. He supposed that they must have gone out somewhere. Harry would have to come back later, or tomorrow.

Sighing, Harry made to Disapparate to his flat. But just as he was about to concentrate on the action, he glimpsed a slip of paper on the counter nearby that was decidedly note-shaped. Harry hurried over, and saw that it was indeed a hastily scrawled note from Andromeda to Harry:

_Harry,_

_Figured you'd stop by after training. Teddy and I are at St. Mungo's. Nothing serious, just something that used to happen to Dora all the time. I'll explain later. We should be home by ten p.m. _

_See you,_

_Andromeda (and Teddy)_

They were at St. Mungo's. Harry's heart leapt. What if it had something to do with the werewolf curse? But then Harry relaxed – "…_something that used to happen to Dora all the time…_" But what was it?

He was tempted to go straight to the hospital and find out just what was the matter with his godson. But everything seemed to be under control… Maybe it would be a better idea to just come back later…

He decided that he would go home for a while, and then come back. He was quite curious about what was happening with Teddy, but didn't want to come across like Molly Weasley – her fierce protectiveness was usually endearing, but could make her seem a little fanatical sometimes.

No, Harry would just wait until ten o'clock. He just hoped everything was really as fine as Andromeda said it was.

A/N: Yes, I know – this update took forever, and I apologize. More to come, and to all those who review – I LOVE YOU.


	6. Caution

_Chapter Six: Caution_

Andromeda was obviously startled when Harry turned up in her kitchen at 10:01 that evening (he had been checking in every ten minutes since 9:30). Andromeda had just got in herself, and hadn't even put Teddy in his nursery yet. Harry could see that he was being fussy; his hair was snow white, a color he only wore when he was downright angry.

"So what happened?" asked Harry, leaning against the counter by the sink. Andromeda, looking distracted, set her grandson down in his chair. He promptly picked up the nearest cup and dropped it onto the floor.

"Nothing happened, Harry," was Andromeda's offhand reply. "He just had a bit of an episode."

"What kind of episode?" Harry tried to sound calm, but his mind was jumping to conclusions already. His fear was that some of Remus' werewolf blood was finally making itself evident.

"Why do you seem so concerned?" asked Andromeda, sounding tired and impatient. "Look, Teddy got a little annoyed and made his toy catch fire. You know that sort of thing happens all the time to small children when they get emotional." She shot a glance at Teddy, who now seemed to be nodding off. Andromeda picked him up and made to carry him to his room.

"Why'd you go to the hospital?" asked Harry, feeling only slightly better. He followed her down the hallway into Teddy's room.

"Because when he saw the fire he got scared." Andromeda laid Teddy down in his bed. The child snuggled up under his blankets and cradled one of his stuffed toys – it was the wolf toy. "That's when he started morphing uncontrollably. It used to happen to Dora every once in a while, even as an adult. Sort of the opposite of what happens when she gets depressed. It wasn't really hurting him, but the Healers have remedies that help it to stop more quickly."

Harry nodded, feeling much better. "It must have been pretty disturbing for him."

"Well," said Andromeda evenly, "how would you feel if your face was suddenly changing every two seconds and you couldn't help it?"

"I guess you're right."

Andromeda gave a tired smile as she led him back toward the kitchen. Harry's mind began to calm down. He supposed that everything really was okay with Teddy. He took a seat at the table in the kitchen and ran a hand through his hair. It seemed to have just hit him how much older he felt now that he shared responsibility for a child's well-being. He loved being a godfather, but he couldn't help but appreciate not having to care for Teddy by himself. He had a nagging feeling that he might not have been showing her due respect up until now, and made a mental note to be more considerate toward her.

"Are you hungry?" asked Andromeda, drawing Harry out of his thoughts.

"Not really," said Harry. "I'm not going to stay. I just –"

"You seem so distracted tonight, Harry," she cut in. "It's perfectly normal to be concerned, but you seem to be really worried about Teddy for some reason. I think I have a right to know if something's wrong with my grandson, so if you've heard anything…"

There was anxiousness in her eyes. Harry felt guilty for making her worried, especially when he was probably blowing the whole thing out of proportion in the first place.

He sighed. She deserved to know, didn't she?

"Remus was a werewolf..." He began.

"That's hardly news to me, Harry," said Andromeda.

"I know, I know. But today, my Auror mentor, Cyrus… He was talking about Greyback – you know who he…?" He trailed off.

"Yes, I know of him."

"Well, did you know that he's the one who bit Remus when he was a kid?"

Andromeda averted her gaze, looking a little abashed. Slowly, she shook her head. Harry got the feeling that she had never really given thought to how Remus had become a werewolf; Remus himself had said that Tonks' parents hadn't been fond of the idea of their daughter marrying a werewolf, so Andromeda's judgment might have been clouded. But that was beside the point now.

"Yeah, well," he continued, "Cyrus thinks – and I'm not saying I believe him – but he reckons that a bit of the curse might have been passed down from Remus to Teddy."

He waited, studying the look on her face. She didn't speak at first, but Harry could see what was coming just by how high her eyebrows were raised.

"That's ludicrous, Harry," she said finally. "_Teddy_? A werewolf? Wouldn't he have transformed by now?"

"Well, he might be too young," muttered Harry, but he knew his argument must seem very weak to her.

"But he hasn't shown any signs of lycanthropy, not one," reasoned Andromeda. She appeared calm, and Harry knew by the finality in her tone that she would refuse to believe such a horrible thing could happen until there was substantial proof. Harry knew she was right in maintaining this demeanor. There were a lot of nasty myths about werewolves, and Remus had obviously worried about some of them too, but there was no sense in getting worked up about something that might never come to pass.

"You know," continued Andromeda, "I'm sure the Werewolf Registry might have some information about what happens when werewolves have children. Perhaps we should go and see?"

Harry considered this. He'd never been anywhere near the Werewolf Registry. He suspected it might be a good place to start, and wondered whether Remus himself had ever thought to check there.

"I think that's a good idea," said Harry at last. "Is the information there allowed to be given out to the public?"

"I should think so," said Andromeda, though she too seemed pensive. "People have a right to know if their neighbor or potential employee is a werewolf, so there must be some examples we can look at."

Something Remus had once said floated to the front of Harry's mind: "_I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community_…" Harry remembered how poor Remus had always been, and supposed some employers probably did check the Registry now and then if they suspected someone to be a werewolf. Not sure whether this was unfair or not, Harry steered his mind toward other thoughts.

"Who else might know about werewolves?" he asked.

"I couldn't begin to tell you, but if you think of anyone, please tell me."

Harry heaved a sigh. "I guess I'll check the Registry next time I'm at the Ministry of Magic, and if I don't find anything there, I'll ask if there's anyone who can tell me."

"Okay," said Andromeda. "Until then, I'll keep an eye on Teddy, of course. I can only hope your mentor is wrong, but I suppose it's good to be cautious."

Relieved that she was being so understanding, and looking forward to what was sure to be an interesting trip to the Werewolf Registry, Harry decided it was time to go home and get some rest. Andromeda agreed, but told him he should go and say goodnight to his godson before Disapparating.

The baby had long been asleep by the time Harry came back into his room, but the sight of him looking so peaceful did a good job of alleviating most of Harry's concerns. But it was like Andromeda said, it was best to be cautious, especially when dealing with such a mysterious and dangerous curse such as lycanthropy. He leaned over the crib, and stroked Teddy's hair softly for a few minutes, enjoying the relaxing feeling it gave him.

"Good night, Teddy," he said in a low voice. "I'll see you soon, and we'll sort everything out."

Then, with a whispered, "Love you," Harry left the room, feeling suddenly calm and content.

_A/N: Hehe, okay, there will be no set date anymore for updates. I'll finish this, don't worry, but I'm not adhering to a schedule of any kind. Okey doke? Again, thanks SO much for any reviews, I'm still in shock at how many I've got so far..._ /blabbering 


	7. New Information

_Chapter Seven: New Information_

The Werewolf Registry was a glum place, and almost completely empty when Harry arrived the next day. There was a dimly-lit waiting room with about ten chairs placed against the walls, some of them littered with pamphlets, many of which bore the title: _I've been Bitten: Now What?_

Harry felt distinctly out of place as he walked inside and toward the disorganized front desk, where a young man was sitting, looking bored and sleepy. He seemed to perk up at the sight of Harry, though, and opened his mouth to speak as soon as Harry was within a few feet of him.

"You're –"

"I know," muttered Harry dully. "Listen, I need some information on werewolves," he began, speaking quickly and quietly. He didn't know what people might say if word got out that he'd been seen hanging around the Werewolf Registry, but had ultimately decided that he didn't care. Still, he thought it best to spend as little time here as possible.

The clerk looked at Harry avidly, as if he couldn't believe he was actually this close to him, and then glanced down at his desk. He rifled through some papers, then produced a sheet of parchment, which Harry took, along with the quill and ink he was offered.

"Just fill that out and we can set up an appointment for you," said the clerk, sounding unabashedly excited.

Harry frowned. "Is there anyway I can just talk to someone now?" he asked. "It should only take a few minutes."

"Sorry," said the clerk. "My – er – boss is very particular about these kinds of procedures. Don't worry; he's never very booked up. There's a good chance you'll see him today, especially considering you're… well, you."

Harry sighed, then returned to the waiting area and found a seat. He glanced at a young blonde girl sitting across from him, who was also filling out a sheet of parchment. She was thin, and looked very alone. She wore an oversized blue sweater, some faded jeans, and a pair of trainers which had evidently seen better days. Harry guessed her age to be around nineteen or twenty, though it was hard to be sure. He noticed how exhausted she looked, and wondered vaguely if she was a werewolf.

The parchment Harry had been given asked only for the most basic of information, with the occasional werewolf-related questions, including the most blunt – "_Are you a werewolf?_" Harry found himself looking at the girl across from him, wondering if she had written 'yes' or 'no' for that question.

"Sylvia Pierpont?" called the receptionist.

The blonde girl jumped at the sound of her name. "Yes?" she said.

"There's an opening tomorrow at one o'clock, if you can make it," said the receptionist; his tone was now very monotonous compared with how he had addressed Harry. "Is that all right?" he asked.

Sylvia Pierpont nodded and stood up. She walked over to the desk and handed him her parchment, then returned to her seat to grab her purse. As she passed Harry she hesitated, then said in a soft voice, "You knew Remus Lupin?"

Harry frowned, confused. "Er – yeah. I did."

Sylvia smiled. "He was a good person."

"_You_ knew him?"

She nodded, and Harry saw something like wistfulness on her face. "He was my teacher when I was little. We were both bitten by the same werewolf."

She spoke about her condition unabashedly, which rather surprised Harry. She didn't seem ashamed at all. "I suppose you heard what happened to him," Harry said solemnly.

"Yes," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I found out. I didn't _want_ to believe it... I heard he got married and had a son before he was killed; is that true?"

Harry sighed and nodded. "It's true."

"What's the baby's name?"

"Teddy Remus Lupin. I'm his godfather."

Sylvia smiled widely, and the effect was surprising but pleasant. She looked so much healthier when she smiled. Harry remembered how Remus had always looked younger when he was happy too.

"That's nice," she said.

Harry wondered if this girl would know anything about half-werewolves. She seemed friendly enough, and she _had_ known Remus. Maybe she knew what happened when werewolves had children.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked at length.

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I don't know if you would know anything about this… But I've been worried that a bit of Remus's curse might have passed on to Teddy. Do you think that's possible?"

Sylvia frowned. "Has he shown any _signs_ of being cursed?"

"No. His grandmother and I have been wondering if the symptoms might be delayed, because he's so young –"

But Sylvia was shaking her head. "No," she said. "If he were going to transform, he would have done it by now. It doesn't matter how young you are. If your body can't handle the transformation, you die. There's no reprieve for babies." She heaved a sigh and looked at the floor. "It's a merciless curse."

"Yeah," said Harry. "I noticed. Just out of curiosity, though… Are there many half-werewolves that have shown symptoms?"

Sylvia gave a humorless smile. "There aren't many half-werewolves at all," she said. "Most normal people don't like the idea of breeding with a werewolf. Usually we just marry other werewolves, but it's difficult to conceive a baby under those circumstances. The woman's transformations will usually kill the unborn child." She grimaced.

Harry blinked; he was shocked that someone could know so much about werewolf reproduction. His surprise must have shown on his face, because Sylvia smiled again.

"I've looked into this kind of thing," she said. "I always rather liked the idea of having children, and I wanted to know what I was up against…" She blushed. "I hope that helps, anyway."

"Well," said Harry, now feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I think you definitely answered my question, thanks. I'm glad I met you. It's a relief to know that Teddy most likely isn't going to turn into a werewolf at the next full moon."

"I'm happy for him," she said, and she actually sounded cheerful as she added, "And I envy him."

"If you don't mind me asking," said Harry, feeling like his aunt Petunia for being so nosy," why are you here?" 

For the first time Sylvia looked defensive as she said, "My brother Daniel… took Greyback's side when the fighting started up again. He was arrested a while ago, and I wanted to know if there was any way I could help him avoid being sent to Azkaban."

Harry sighed. "That's going to be tough, I bet."

"I'm afraid I'm not very hopeful. He made his decision, and he's paying for it. I just wish he could come home and things could go back to the way they used to be…"

Harry nodded. He understood completely. "Who decides what happens to him?"

She sighed. "I don't really know who ultimately makes the decision. That's something I'm hoping to find out tomorrow."

"Well, good luck," muttered Harry. "If there's anything I can do… I mean, you've taken a lot of weight off my mind, if you're right about Teddy."

Sylvia smiled. "Thank you, Harry. I hope everything goes well for Teddy. If he's anything like his father he's bound to grow up into a wonderful person." She shrugged her shoulders and looked around the room. "Well," she muttered, "I should go."

"Mr. Potter?" called the receptionist, and Harry turned. "Mr. Gudgeon can see you now."

Harry shook his head. "Actually, I don't think I need to talk to him anymore," he said. "But maybe he can talk to Sylvia here. It'll save her a trip tomorrow."

"Oh," said the receptionist, looking rather crestfallen. "I don't know…"

"What," said Harry, bristling. "He'll see me but not her?"

As Harry spoke, Sylvia was nervously muttering that he shouldn't make a scene because of her, but Harry turned to her and shook his head.

"It's their job to help _you_, not me," he said firmly. "Werewolves should be their priority, not paranoid, overprotective godfathers." He glanced at the front desk; the receptionist had disappeared. Harry supposed he was speaking to his boss, Mr. Gudgeon, or whatever.

"Well," said Sylvia, "I appreciate the sentiment anyway."

"No problem," said Harry. "If they give you any more trouble, send me an owl, and I'll try to do something about it."

Sylvia nodded, her expression bright. "You really are a good person. I can see why Remus thought you would make a good godfather."

Harry, unable to think of anything to say to this, gave a weak smile and shrugged.

"Well, I should get home," he said at last. "Good luck with your brother."

"Thank you."

Harry gave her a final nod. He wondered if he would ever see Sylvia Pierpont again, but for some strange reason he was not optimistic. She hadn't seemed like someone who ventured out into the world very often. Harry supposed most werewolves were like this; they had to keep a low profile, otherwise they would draw unwanted attention to themselves. It was unfair, of course, but Harry wasn't really in a position to do anything like it – not yet, anyway.

He left the Ministry of Magic, anxious to see his godson and tell Andromeda what he had learned. 


	8. Talk of Home and Family

_Chapter Eight: Talk of Home and Family_

Andromeda's house was quiet and still the next time Harry visited. He'd sent her an owl, letting her know that he'd be stopping by to talk to her. She'd sent a quick reply telling him to come right in when he arrived, because she would be working on something upstairs and might not hear him.

Harry stepped through the Apparition barrier and glanced around the front hallway. He couldn't see any source of light coming from the nearby rooms, and he couldn't hear any movement upstairs. He didn't want to disturb Andromeda from whatever it was she was working on, so he decided to go over to Teddy's room and wait for her.

His godson was fast asleep when Harry entered. The memory of his first time ever seeing Teddy flooded Harry's mind briefly as he looked down at any portion of face that wasn't obscured by blankets.

_You're doing all right_, thought Harry. _You don't have to worry about abusive aunts and uncles and spoiled cousins_. _You've got your grandmother… And you've got me._

It was a calming experience, watching the sleeping child; to forget for a few moments the pressures of being a war hero and an Auror in training, and to ignore everything all the unpleasant things in his life - it was blissful. Teddy Lupin, the son of two brave people who had died a noble death… well, in theory it all sounded very poetic. But Harry knew from experience that nothing about losing loved ones ever sounded pretty.

Footsteps from above made Harry start. He'd forgotten that Andromeda was here. He waited for her to come downstairs, and after a moment she appeared in the doorway, looking a little tired but quite pleased about something. She greeted Harry very quietly, then they both walked out into the living room. Andromeda offered to get Harry a drink, but he politely declined.

"I see Teddy's doing all right," Harry said.

Andromeda gave a swift smile and nodded. "Yes, he's always smiling lately. Not like Nymphadora was. She was fussy and demanding when she was that age."

"I wish I could come by more often and see him," said Harry. "I've been busy."

"It'll be a while before he's fighting to spend more time with you," said Andromeda fondly. "It's enough that you come see us as often as you do. I admit, I look forward to your visits. I'm afraid I rely too much on Ted's siblings for social interaction."

Harry felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't taken into account how lonely Andromeda must be now that her husband, daughter, and son-in-law were all gone. He wished he could come round to spend time with her more often, but didn't see how that would work out. He'd been keeping so busy lately, and his training hours were so sporadic…

"I'm going to fix up Grimmauld Place," he said without thinking. "It would make sense for me to live there, instead of paying to live somewhere else. You'll always be welcome there, you know."

Andromeda looked thoughtful. "Thank you so much, Harry. Will you be staying at Grimmauld Place while you're cleaning it? I'd be happy to come by with Teddy and help you."

"I don't know," said Harry. "I thought I might just stay in Ottery St. Catchpole for a while, until everything is sorted out. I've got Kreacher to do the cleaning at number twelve, but you could help me sort through all of the old Black family things."

She laughed. "A daunting task, to be sure."

"Yeah," said Harry. "I'm a bit nervous about taking it on, but I suppose it's got to be done sooner or later. It might be a nice place, once it's all fixed up."

"I could look for a way to remove my Aunt Walburga's portrait, too. I suspect she found such a powerful Sticking Charm in a book in the library there, so maybe there's a counter spell."

"Lupin told me the summer I first stayed there that he and Sirius had looked through all the likely books, but it's still worth a try."

"Yes," said Andromeda. "It does sound like Remus. If a book didn't have the answer to his questions, his conclusion was always that there _was_ no answer. That's why he panicked when Dora became pregnant. He knew that female werewolves couldn't carry babies, and male werewolves rarely had any prospects with normal women. He and Dora were a very unique couple."

"Yeah. Not many documented cases of _half_-werewolves, right?"

"Exactly."

They sat in silence for a moment, then Harry heaved a sigh. "I suppose I should be going home. I've got to work tomorrow."

"Yes, of course. It is a bit later than I realized."

Andromeda hesitated for a moment, then as Harry rose to his feet and started back toward the hallway to grab his cloak, she opened her mouth to speak.

"You know," she said, "if you wanted a place to live for a while, I do have room here. You'd be able to see Teddy whenever you wanted… You could save your money while we sort out Grimmauld Place."

Caught off guard, Harry could not think of anything to say. Andromeda raised a good point -- in fact, the only excuse Harry could think of for not taking her up on her offer was that it would be -- well -- _awkward_. He didn't know Andromeda that well, after all. Still, a chance to see Teddy every day without having to worry about being intrusive… And Harry had to admit that it would be nice to have someone to talk to in the evenings when he wasn't with Ron and Hermione.

"I…" he said, but no more words would formulate.

"Think about it," said Andromeda. "I know it was completely unexpected, but I felt I had to suggest it."

"Er -- yeah, it was. But I'll -- I'll definitely consider it. It's not all that farfetched, anyway. I'll -- er -- come by soon and let you know."

"All right," said Andromeda. She smiled.

From Teddy's room there came the sound of grumpy jabbering, and Andromeda got swiftly to her feet. She heaved a sigh. "It seems someone wanted to say goodbye to his godfather. I don't want to keep you, but --"

"I'm never in too much of a hurry for Teddy."

"I'm glad to hear it." Her voice was soft. "Teddy is lucky to have you."

They went to Teddy's room. At five months, he had managed to pull himself into a half-sitting position, with the support of his blankets and his plush dog toy. A steady babbling was issuing from his mouth, along with quite a lot of drool. Andromeda pulled him up into her arms.

"Ma, ba ba," said Teddy happily.

"You should encourage him," said Andromeda. "Talk back to him as if you understand him."

Harry nodded at Teddy, who was watching him intently. "That's right, Ted," said Harry. "Ba. Right. Nice one. Er -- syllables are _good, _aren't they?"

"Gahh," gurgled Teddy in agreement. "Boo."

"Very good!" said Andromeda, in a high pitched, happy tone which sounded quite strange coming from a woman like her. "You're saying goodbye to your Godfather Harry, aren't you, Teddy?"

"Gah," the baby repeated. "Boo."

Harry grinned. "Is he always this articulate?"

"Oh, no. He's just showing off for you."

Harry held Teddy for several more minutes, talking to him, encouraging him. The baby seemed content just to sit in his arms and jabber on as if they were having an actual conversation. Andromeda told him that Tonks had loved the whole idea of baby-talk, and had encouraged Lupin to take part as well ("You should have seen them, Harry. They both looked so ridiculous.").

Andromeda seemed to like talking about her daughter. Harry was glad that she seemed to be coping so well.

"I wonder what his first word will be," said Harry absently as he handed Teddy to Andromeda. "I don't even know when they usually start talking."

"Oh, that won't be for a few months yet," said Andromeda. "But he's growing up so fast… I wasn't prepared for it."

"Well," said Harry. "Now I really should go. I -- er -- need to owl Ginny Weasley, then get some sleep."

"Yes," sighed Andromeda. "Sleep while you can. Dora always said that Aurors and sleep don't mix. I always worried about that with her."

Harry nodded and pulled on his cloak. "I'll keep that in mind." He leaned over and kissed Teddy's forehead. Teddy squealed happily.

Darkness had descended thoroughly by the time Harry stepped outside. The grass was already covered in dew, and it was quite cold, but otherwise it was a pleasant evening. Harry moved past the Apparition barrier, and prepared himself for the brief journey to his flat.

Just as he closed his eyes and steeled himself for the unpleasant sensation, a loud pop sounded right beside him, making him start and nearly fall over. His eyes flew open and landed on the shadowy form of someone he had definitely not been expecting.

"Whoa, sorry, Harry," said Ron Weasley. Even in the darkness he could tell that his friend was smiling broadly. "I thought I'd find you here. You weren't at your place…"

He didn't seem anxious, so Harry quickly decided that there were no emergencies. But he could think of no other reason why Ron would be here, of all places. He must have _something_ important to tell him.

"Er -- yeah, I was quite startled there, for a second," Harry admitted. "Was there something you needed, Ron?"

"Oh, no," said Ron. "No, just something I thought you should know…" He laughed.

"What is it?"

"It's just - wow. I can hardly believe it myself."

"_What_, Ron?"

"It's Fleur," he said, sounding slightly dazed. "She's… Well, she's pregnant!"

Harry felt his own eyes go wide. "Wow," he said. "That's excellent, Ron!"

"Yeah," said Ron happily. "Bill just sent me an owl with the good news. He asked me to tell you next time I saw you, but I couldn't wait -- I'm going to be an _uncle_, Harry!"

Ron's exuberance was infectious, and Harry found himself grinning broadly as well.

"What is going on out here, Harry?"

Harry turned to see Andromeda standing out on her front step, with Teddy in her arms. She looked more confused than stern at the moment.

"Mrs. Tonks!" said Ron happily. "It's nothing serious, I'm sorry I barged in… It's just -- my brother Bill and his wife are going to have a baby!"

Her face, illuminated slightly by the dim light in the house, broke into a very happy expression, and he came forward off the porch. "Well, that is wonderful news!"

"Yeah, it really is," said Ron. "I just had to tell Harry." He moved toward her and pinched Teddy's cheek. "Ha, I bet the baby and Teddy'll be best mates."

Andromeda nodded. "It'll be nice for Teddy to have a playmate."

"Yeah," said Harry. The night's joyous turn of events had left him feeling lighter than air. He hadn't felt like this for months. "And Teddy can help him out when they're at Hogwarts…"

"And they can get into trouble together," said Ron. "Like you and me, Harry."

"Yeah…"

Andromeda invited them back into the house for a drink, and both of them accepted. They stayed for a good hour, talking on and on about babies, and the things Teddy and Bill and Fleur's baby would get up to when they were older. It seemed natural that they would be the best of friends. Harry made a note to send Bill and Fleur a congratulatory owl as soon as he got home.

Ron left before Harry, talking about going to see Neville Longbottom. Harry and Andromeda watched him go, and they shared a smile.

Harry sighed. "It seems like I'm not meant to leave here tonight," he said, biting back a yawn. "I keep getting distracted."

Andromeda nodded. "Every time you try to leave, you find a reason to stay."

"I've probably worn out my welcome by now," said Harry. He noticed that Teddy's eyes had slipped closed and his head was drooping on Andromeda's shoulder. "Even Teddy got sick of me, see?"

"Oh, never," said Andromeda. "We are never sick of you, Harry. You're good company."

"I'm beginning to think I should just owl Ginny and the Ministry and tell them to look for me here from now on."

Andromeda raised her eyebrows. "You could, Harry. I didn't make that offer lightly, and it still stands."

"I know," said Harry. "But I really do need to go home for now. I'll be back soon, and we can talk more about it later."

"Wonderful. I look forward to it."

Harry's third attempt to get home and try to get some sleep worked, and he found that he was suddenly very tired. He looked around his flat, which housed his few most valuable possessions. He had his broomstick, the mokeskin bag he had got from Hagrid, and several photographs.

He flopped down onto his bed, fully clothed, and thought of his godson. Andromeda, poor Andromeda had lost everything she held dear, except her grandson. He knew Teddy was the world to her. Harry loved Teddy too, and wanted to be near him as often as possible. Andromeda's offer really was incredibly tempting…

The decision was simpler to make than Harry had anticipated. There was nothing holding him here, but there was quite a lot to draw him to the Tonks's house. There would be peace there, and good company, and… Harry fought to stay conscious…

Teddy would be there.

His _godson_. Nymphadora and Remus Lupin's son. Harry felt that that colorful child's presence could only be good for him. He looked forward to what was to come. Ginny could visit, and Ron and Hermione, and everyone else… And they could all work together in Grimmauld Place, making it a home.

Harry finally fell asleep, a faint smile lingering upon his face.

_Fin_

**A/N: Well, I made it. I was getting tired of this plotless wonder, so I decided I might as well wrap it up and focus on something that might actually involve a plot. Good, yeah? I don't know why some of you liked this story - LOL - but I enjoyed writing it all the same. I know, it was a rush there at the end, but I felt you guys deserved some sort of ending, before I got too busy to finish it, ever. Ah well. Thanks for all of you who stuck by me through this whole thing, and hopefully I'll have another great thudding tract going soon, as soon as I think of a plot! Thanks again, you guys really made the journey worthwhile for me, and I hope to see some of you back here soon. Don't be a stranger!**

**Ashley**


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